Over-bed table attachment



July 4, 1944.

OVERBED TABLE ATTACHMENT Filed Jan. 16, 1945 2 Sheets-She et l w. A.HILLENBRAND 2,352,837

y 4, w. A. HILLENBRAND. 2,352,837

OVERBED TABLE ATTACHMENT 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Jan. 16 '1943 vINVENTOR.

BY e;wa.

Patented July 4, 1944 UNITED STATES PATE OVER-BED TABLE ATTACHIVIENTWilliam A. Hillenbrand, Franklin county, Ind., assignor tonill-Rom'Gom'pany, Inc., Batesville,

Ind., a corporation of Indiana.

Application January 16, 1943, Serial No. 472,582

3 Claims. (Cl. 31140) This invention relates to an overbed tableattachment adapted to be used as an adjunct to a bedside table or othersimilar article of furniture for hospital use. The invention isparticularly concerned with an attachment in which the top is foldableto a vertical position when not in use and adjustable to any heightdesired.

Attachments of the type of the invention are frequently furnished as anintegral part of a hospital bedside table or cabinet. However, the

attachment forms a separable unit in and of itself and may be utilizedin conjunction with other conventional articles of furniture used inhospitals and similar places. The invention resides entirely in theconstruction of the attachment itself and the article of furniture towhich it T wood or composition materials. In the preferred embodimentwhich will be hereinafter described it will be noted that there isalmost a complete absence of parts made from metal and other similarmaterials having priority status at the present time.

Another object of the invention has been to v provide an overbedattachment in which the vertical elevating and lowering means have beenso constructed and arranged as to provide an operation which is verysmooth and even and at the J same time practically noiseless.

Another object has been the provision of a structure of the typecontemplated in which there is little or no friction between the movingparts so that there is no necessity for oiling or other care of theapparatus.

Another object has been the provision of improved means for adjustingand maintaining the table top in a preselected horizontal position, themeans employed being simple in construction yet very convenient andsecure in operation.

Other objects and advantages will be apparent from the further and moredetailed description of the invention when considered in conjunctionwith the drawings in which:

Figure 1 is a front elevation of a conventional hospital bedside table,having an overbed table attachment of the preferred type of theinvention attached thereto.

Figure 2 is a similar view illustrating the tab e in operativeposition-with the support elements extended laterally and the top inhorizontal position. v v

Figure 3 is another View similar to*Figure 1 but showing thetabletop'lowered 'toyertical position andthe support elements foldedinwardly toward the bedside table. Y

Figure 4 is a'sectional view along the line 4-6, Figure 2, illustratingparticularly the construction of the vertical adjustment means.

Figure 5 is an enlarged fragmentary view of the upper section of theoverbed table shown in the same position as in. Figure '1 and beingpartially broken away to illustrate particularlythe construction of thetop support-means and the manner inwhich it functions in sustaining thetop and lowering it to vertical position.

Considering now a further and more detailed description of theconstruction of thein'vention', an overbed table'atta'chmentillustrating the preferred embodiment is indicated at [0, Figure 1. Ahospital bedside table is indicated at H Since the construction of thislatter table forms no part of the invention, its construction will" notbe described in detail.

In operative position the attachment comprises generally a gate I-2 anda horizontal or top'portion I 3 joined and supported'by the elevatingarm 14 and connected thereto by the hinges l5. Brackets l6 are secured'tothe' gate l2 and these in turn may be attached to the bedside tableH.

The gate includes vertical post members Hand l8 joined together at theirends by horizontal rail members I9. The vertical post member 11 ishollow as will be later describedin more'detail and the rail members l9are joined to it by screws and dowel pins indicatedgenerally at 2B;'This gate is supported in recesses inthe brackets l5 (see Figure 4) bypins 32 journaled in the horizontal surfacesof these recesses.

A vertically adjustable elevating post 21 may be approximately the sameheight as the vertical post member I! and has its lov'ver end positionedin the hollow opening therein. This post I1 is of generally rectangularconstruction in cross section and has formed in a side'jedge thereof arack comprised of a plurality of teeth 22 and notches 23. The innersurface of the latter maybe sub stantially flat as illustrated. A brace24 is affixed to the upper end of the post 2] and is connected by hingesl 5 to the table top l3. A hand knob 25 is positioned on the extremeupper edge surface of the elevating post 2|. The table top I3 is furtheraflixed to the brace 24 by means of the elevating arm 14. This arm issecured to the two sections of the arm in rigid position withrespect toeach other when the top is in horizontal position. When the top islowered to vertical position the tension is released and the arm sec--tions assume the positionsh'owmin the dotted lines in Figure 5. When thetable too is in vertical position, also as illustrated in Figure 5, a

stop element 30 holds the top I3 away-from the vertical member l2 andprevents the depending end from catching on the upper edge of thevertical'post-member I of the g'a'te:

The vertical" adEius't'ment mea-n's forthe post Tl are illustrated inFigure 4. As shown, the upper rail-element l9 of'th'e gated iaLs'onecorner 3| somewhat r'ou'n'ded to provide clearance and permit'the:gate to swing" in one 1 cinematon' the pin 32. As previously stated,therair members |9- re'st in-'-recesses'=' in the brackets 'IS'L" Thesebrackets" may berjoined tw the bedside table by bolts 33. Thevertreapost member IFof'tlie gate is generally square insection and 'niay beformed in four sections; includlh 'thefront"or face sectl f 37 the sidesection's' 3'B"'andthe"back sectiOnRBS'IFi'gure 4 Tlie elevatingpost 21is fitted intotlie hollow' defined" y'these-"se'c tio'ns and: may"itself be of sectional construction, the elements including-aface-"section 38. sidelsection's' 39 and a rear 'sectibn 40'. All of thevarious sections,- :both in the elevating post 2| andfthe gatepostm'ember 'I-B, maybeset in recesses in adj oining' member's as shown"and "secured bygluing'orrdoweipins (nor-shown). The base of I'the hand5knob"25 acts* as a cap for the hollow verticali elevating'post 2rand-conceals the opening therein.

The elevation" adjustment means or ratchet compris'esra knob4| and arod" section 42. A groove: 43 is formed ini'thelatter 'a t a centralpoint for*'the"recepti'on of an end of'the P spring 44; This spring ispreferably offlexiblepl'asti'c material and has its *otherendrsecured ina-slot 45 in'the outer edge of the upper r'ai-l? |9 "of'fthe gate. Oneor morescrews 4! maintain itfirmly in position. The spring is-adaptedIto be fiexed across the aperture 48 as outward pressure "is exerted onthe knob 4| 10f the" elevation adjustment means 26. As: this pressure-isexerted the end of the rodsection 42 becomesdisengaged from the notch23-where'it'would normall yibe held by the springflvandtheivertical-elevation post 2| is.released,= andbyvgravi-tyvnormally 'will drop-into the-hollow in the-gatepost-rnemberI! untilit reaches a-pointillustrated:in-Figu-re3 wherefurther' downwardprogress-is haltedby the abutment of the brace.- 24-on the .upper.surface of themember |9.. Through properadjustmentof ithe elevating--means a very smooth and even .action canJbe obtainedv as duringtheelevating operation. (which. is. manual) the contact edge of. the rodsection. .42. of theelevating means 2 6 tends to slide overv the tapered.uppersurfaces of the teeth 22 (see Figures 1 and 5) with little or nofriction and resulting noise. In lowering, the operator conventionallygrasps the knob 25 with one hand and then disengaging the contact edgeof the elevating means by pulling outwardly on the knob 4| manuallylowers the elevating post 2| to the position desired whereupon the knob4| isreleased and the contact edge again engages the notch selected. Asbest illustrated in Figure 3, when the post is completely lowered andthe gate swung toward the bedside table the entire structure is quiteunobtrusive.

As will be apparent from the foregoing description, theinventioncompletely dispenses with all heavytrmetal parts and there is littlepossibility of wear or breakage in the operative parts necessitati'ngupkeep and repair.

Having fully described my invention, I claim:

1.. In an overbed table attachment a swingable gate having a hollowvertical post, an elevating post slidable-in said gate post and:supporting a tabletop atthe upper end thereof, said: elevatin posthaving a rack formed "in aside edge'thereof and elevation adjustmentmeans cooperating with' said rack in supporting said elevating post in apreselected vertical position, saidielevation adjustment meanscomprising a- .blunt pointed rod inserted through an openinminthe atepost, and spring' means normally actuating said-rod againstsaid' racln.said spring means engaging the red at a point intermediateeits ends;

2. An overbed tableattachment entirely formed from woodor similarmaterials andcomprising a swingable gate, said gate including ahollowpost, an elevating post positioned in' said hollow postand containedthereby, means for manually raising and lowering saidelevating post, atop supported bysaid elevating post, a rack of teeth and notches formedin a side-edge-of said elevating-post, a blunt pointed rod .supportedrbythe gate and movable into and out of said hollow post forengaging thenotches in the rack,.spr.ing means supported by the gate forengaging-the rod at an intermediate point and-actuatingit toward thenotches and means for manually disengaging the rod during a. raising orlowering operation.

3-. An. overbed attachment for a table comprising a frame member, meansfor pivotally attaching the frame member to a table,. said frame memberincluding a vertical hollow post-and a horizontal rail member secured-to said post, an elevating post positioned in said hollow post andcontained thereby, a table top supported by said elevating post, a rackof teeth andnotches positioned on a side edge of the elevatin post, saidteeth having inclined edges and said notches having substantially flatfaces, a blunt pointed pawl supported in the horizontal rail member ofthe frame and movable intoand out of the hollow post through an aperturetherein, a fiat resilient spring member supported in the horizontal railmember interiorly thereof, said spring member engaging the pawl at apoint intermediate its ends and normally-actuating the point of the pawlinto engagement with the. notches on the rack, and means at thereverseend of the pawl for disengaging its point from the notches topermit lowering of the elevating post.

WILLIAM A. HILLENBRAND.

